[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 117 (Wednesday, June 18, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 33038-33039]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-15923]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AE28


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Status 
for the Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Evolutionarily 
Significant Unit of Coho Salmon

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is adding the Southern 
Oregon/Northern California Coast Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) 
of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) to the List of Endangered and 
Threatened Wildlife (List) as a threatened species in accordance with 
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This amendment to 
the List includes all coho salmon naturally reproduced in streams 
between Cape Blanco in Curry County, Oregon and Punta Gorda in Humboldt 
County, California. This amendment is based on a determination by the 
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce, which has 
jurisdiction for this species.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 5, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: E. LaVerne Smith, Chief, Division of 
Endangered Species, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax 
Drive, Mail Stop 452, Arlington, Virginia 22203 (703/358-2171).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Act and the 
Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970, NMFS has jurisdiction over the coho 
salmon. Under section 4(a)(2) of the Act, NMFS must decide whether a 
species under its jurisdiction should be classified as endangered or 
threatened. The Service is responsible for the actual amendment of the 
List in 50 CFR 17.11(h).
    On July 25, 1995, NMFS published a proposed rule to list as 
threatened three ESUs or distinct vertebrate population segments of the 
coho salmon in California and Oregon, including the Southern Oregon/
Northern California Coast ESU (60 FR 38011). The proposed rule 
solicited comments from peer reviewers, the public, and all other 
interested parties. On May 6, 1997, NMFS published a final rule to list 
the Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast ESU of the coho salmon as 
threatened (62 FR 24588). The final rule addressed the comments 
received in response to the proposed rule. Because NMFS provided a 
public comment period on the proposed rule, and because this action of 
the Service to amend the List in accordance with the determination by 
NMFS is nondiscretionary, the Service has omitted the notice and public 
comment procedures of 5 U.S.C. 553(b) for this action.

National Environmental Policy Act

    The Service has determined that an Environmental Assessment, as 
defined under the authority of the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, need not be prepared in connection with regulations adopted 
pursuant to section 4(a) of the Act. A notice outlining the Service's 
reasons for this determination was published in the Federal Register on 
October 25, 1983 (48 FR 49244).

Required Determinations

    The Service has examined this regulation under the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 and found it to contain no information collection 
requirements.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 17

    Endangered and threatened species, Export, Import, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Transportation.

Regulation Promulgation

PART 17--[AMENDED]

    Accordingly, part 17, subchapter B of chapter I, title 50 of the 
Code of Federal Regulations, is amended as set forth below:
    1. The authority citation for part 17 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1361-1407; 16 U.S.C. 1531-1544; 16 U.S.C. 
4201-4245; Pub. L. 99-625, 100 Stat. 3500, unless otherwise noted.


Sec. 17.11  [Amended]

    2. Section 17.11(h) is amended by adding the following, in 
alphabetical order under FISHES, to the List of Endangered and 
Threatened Wildlife:

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                        Species                                                    Vertebrate                                                           
--------------------------------------------------------                        population where                                  Critical     Special  
                                                            Historic range       endangered or         Status      When listed    habitat       rules   
           Common name                Scientific name                              threatened                                                           
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                   *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  
              Fishes                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                        
                   *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  
Salmon, coho.....................  Oncorhynchus kisutch  North Pacific Basin  U.S.A. (natural      T                       618           NA           NA
                                                          from U.S.A. (CA to   populations in                                                           
                                                          AK) to Russia to     river basins                                                             
                                                          Japan.               between Cape                                                             
                                                                               Blanco in Curry                                                          
                                                                               County, OR and                                                           
                                                                               Punta Gorda in                                                           
                                                                               Humboldt County,                                                         
                                                                               CA).                                                                     
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[[Page 33039]]

    Dated: May 30, 1997.
John G. Rogers,
Acting Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 97-15923 Filed 6-17-97; 8:45 am]
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